Cleansing the skin is a personal hygiene problem not always easily solved. Dry tissue products are the most commonly used cleansing products post-defecation or post-urine release. Dry tissue products are usually referred to as “toilet tissue” or “toilet paper”. Beside the use of dry tissue, it is becoming increasingly frequent to use wet wipes for the purpose of cleaning the anus, the perinea, and the peri-anal body area after defecation. So called “wet wipes” are a fibrous structure, generally of thick caliper, impregnated with a composition, usually water or oil-based.
For the purpose of the present document, the anus, the peri-anal area, the perinea and the perineal area are all terms indicating the body area of the pelvis between, around and including the anus and the external genitalia. Those terms are used interchangeably and with the same meaning.
The peri-anal skin is marked by the presence of fine folds and wrinkles (sulci) and by hair follicles, both of which make the perineal region one of the more difficult anatomical areas to cleanse. During defecation, fecal matter is excreted through the anus and tends to accumulate in hard to reach locations such as around the base of hairs and in the sulci of the skin's surface.
As the fecal matter dehydrates upon exposure to the air, or upon contact with an absorbent cleansing implement such as tissue paper, it adheres more tenaciously to the skin and hair, thus making subsequent removal of the remaining dehydrated soil even more difficult. It is generally common hygienic concerns that make the benefits of a good perineal cleansing after defecation and after urine release very relevant to baby, children and adults.
Among those negatives associated with the failure of adequate cleansing are irritation, redness, desquamation, infections, unpleasant odor or other kinds of personal discomfort or health related issues.
People suffering from pathological conditions (such as hemorrhoids, fissures, cryptitis, etc.) are even more susceptible to those issues and discomfort. For them, as for any persons, cleansing must be efficient in terms of removal of fecal residues and gentle in terms of absence of irritation caused by the cleansing. Wet-wipes bring a response to that basic need.
In comparison to dry toilet paper, wet wipes have several benefits:                The enabling of a better lubrication during the use of the wipe, reducing the abrasiveness of the cleansing operation,        The hydration of the residues, enhancing their removal from the skin,        The hydration of the skin tissue        The ability to deliver a smoothening lotion to the skin that can remain on the skin after the cleansing operation.        
Manufacturers and developers of wet wipes have tried to develop wipes products that deliver the right balance between normally antagonistic concepts:                Enhancing the soil removal and protecting the skin from irritation.        The long lasting feeling of comfortable cleanliness while avoiding a greasy feeling on the skin.        High softness/smoothness of the substrate and its high resistance to disruption in use.        The preservation of the product via the use of preservatives acting against microorganisms and a mild, skin friendly composition not causing irritation or redness.For example, the Pampers Baby Fresh & reg. baby wipes are marketed with a patent marking of U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,524.        
The use of emulsions in lotion for wipes is widely spread. Most commonly used emulsions are an oil-in-water type of emulsion, having as key components an oily phase (in the form of an emollient), an emulsifier or surfactant component and an aqueous phase that comprises further additives such as antimicrobial agents.
Many patent documents intend to describe wipes with lotion:
In EP808151B1, Blieszner et al, describe a composition for wipes and wipes using a composition that is useful for personal cleansing and for reducing the risk of perineal dermatitis. In WO-9516824 Warner et al. describe a lotion composition that is semisolid or solid at ambient temperatures and imparts a soft, lubricious, lotion-like feel when applied to tissue paper. This lotion comprises about 20 to about 95% of a substantially water free emollient having a plastic or fluid and from about 5 to about 80% of an agent capable of immobilizing the emollient on the surface of tissue.
In WO-0241869, Hsu, Jay, C. et al. describe a paper product treated with oil-in-water emulsions. The paper product contains a lotion, an emollient, a fatty alcohol component, an emulsifier component, and a skin conditioning component. All components presenting a defined percentage of the lotion and paper product.
In EP-875233 A1, Luu, Phunong, V. et al. describe a substrate treated with a lotion comprising emollient and a retention/release agent. A substrate treated with the non-greasy-feeling lotion provides a smooth, lubricious, non-greasy-feeling layer on the skin.
In WO-0200817, C. Druden, describes a wipe using cocamidopropyl betaine and PEG-80 glyceryl cocoate/PEG-30 glyceryl cocoate for an improved cleansing ability.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,741,944 and 4,865,221 provide wet wipes having a liquid in the sheet and/or web. The liquid includes water, benzalkonium chloride, citric acid, disodium phosphate, trisodium ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, polyethylene glycol-75 lanolin, cocoamphocarboxyglycinate, propylene glycol, methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, polysorbate 20 and fragrance.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,732,797 and 4,772,501 are directed to a natural acid preservation system for a wet wipe that consists of citric acid and sorbic acid. U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,803 provides a nonwoven wipe impregnating composition. A specific cationic biocide is included in the preservative system. The cationic biocide, polyhexamethylene biguanide hydrochloride, allegedly greatly minimizes the slippery feel of the wet wipe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,405 is directed to a binder catalyst for an antimicrobial active, non-woven web. U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,199 is directed to a hand wipe that includes an alcohol, an antimicrobial agent, a water soluble polymer, a polyalkylene glycol and a moisturizer and/or emollient, along with water.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,996 is directed to a non-woven wipe impregnated with an aqueous solution of a zinc acetate peroxide and a surfactant.
General background on emulsions and their potential use (e.g., in cosmetics) can be found in:                U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,913 describing high internal phase emulsions having enhanced stability and their use in cosmetics.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,021 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,842 describing a method for making a high internal phase emulsion without phase inversion.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,418 describing an oil-in-water gel-like emulsion comprising mono-alkyl phosphate salt.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,854 describing a translucent cosmetic emulsion comprising mono-alkyl phosphate salt.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,604 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,755 describing an oil-in-water emulsion with high oil content, comprising a sucrose fatty ester.        WO 97/32559 describing a stable dispersion having a bi-liquid foam comprising oil droplets and suitable for cosmetic applications.        
Many of the above documents are directed at finding alternatives or improved ways to deliver better wipes performance. However, many of the drawbacks and inconveniences experienced by the consumers still represent clear challenges to product developers in the field. For example, preservatives sometimes cause sting, redness and irritation of the skin, lotions feel greasy and leave stains, separation of the phases (oil/water) occurs during storage, lotions enhance the spread of the fecal residue on the skin without facilitating their removal and pick up by the wipe.
Altogether, the need to achieve an improved level of smoothness and gentle cleanliness during and after cleaning and wiping still remain a basic need articulated by many consumers. There is the need for an emulsion composition providing sufficient preservation combined with superior gentleness to the skin. There is also the need for a wipe that enhances the efficacy of the removal of the fecal residues from the peri-anal/perineal area. Additionally, there is a need for a wipe that does not irritate, erode the user's skin nor enhance redness.
Furthermore, there is the need for a wipe providing a smooth, long lasting comfortable feeling to the user, without leaving greasy or oily residues on the skin. There is also the need for a wipe that has a long shelf life and whose composition reduces the proliferation of microorganisms in the package and during use. Additionally, there is the need for an emulsion composition that is relatively easy and cost efficient to prepare and preserve. There is finally the need for a wipe combining all or most of the above benefits to a so far unachieved level.